


Little Red Riding Hood

by akwardcadabra



Category: X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: Bed time stories, Charles is good with Kids, Cuddling & Snuggling, Erik is a Sweetheart, Finally no Angst, Fluff, Little Red Riding Hood - Freeform, M/M, Storms, This happens when you listen to James McAvoy read childrens bed time stories when you aren't a child, Thunder and Lightning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-06
Updated: 2016-08-06
Packaged: 2018-07-29 18:09:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7694302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/akwardcadabra/pseuds/akwardcadabra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Charles and Erik had recently brought new children to the mansion to help them control their powers.<br/>As it happens, children get homesick easily. And in a night, in which a thunderstorm is going on, Charles reads to the children to help them fall asleep.<br/>Meanwhile Erik is searching for him and thinks it's really heartwarming to see Charles care about the kids so much.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Little Red Riding Hood

**Author's Note:**

> So this happened, because I listened to James McAvoy reading children's bed time stories. I'm not a child.  
> But I did think, it would be cute to have Charles reading to the children. And because I'm Cherik trash, I threw that in there as well.  
> Enjoy ^^

Listening to the soft sound of rain hitting the windows, Charles made his way down the corridors of the mansion, on his way to his and Erik’s shared bedroom, when he saw light flickering in the room of one of the children he had found through Cerebro and picked up to live with him.

Some of them were orphans and happy to go along with the nice young man and his friends, as they said themselves.  
Parents of others were reluctant to send their children away, but quite a few were happy to have their “weird” children- as they called them- out of the house.  
It really saddened Charles. How should they be able to accept themselves and control themselves, when their parents wouldn’t even accept them and love them, at such a young age?

But he wasn’t going to get upset about it again, they were with them now, safe and sound, like a family.  
He made his way to the room were the light was coming from.

Inside the room, the little girls, they had picked up not far from the mansion, Daisy.  
“Daisy, what are you doing, still up? It’s past 11 pm. Little girls should be asleep by now, you know?” he entered the room, smiling.  
She nodded slightly “I know…” she muttered.  
“Are you alright?” He asked, walking to her bed and kneeling in front of her.  
“I can’t sleep… I don’t like it, when it storms…” she whimpered.  
Charles nodded, sitting on the bed and smiling “I see. Would it help, if I told you a story for example?”  
Her face lit up and a smile appeared, as she raised her head and looked at Charles from under her brown bangs “Yes, could you, please, Mr. Charles?”  
He gave a little laugh “Call me Charles, yes? And of course I will. That’s why I made the offer.”  
She nodded excitedly “Mommy always used to read me stories, before she died… In the orphanage no one did.”  
“Well, now you have us and you can bet that everyone here would love to read you a story.” He smiled “Even grumpy old Erik.”  
Daisy giggled “Will you read me ‘Little Red Riding Hood’?”  
“If you’d like to, yes.” He smiled and took the book from her hands, while she cuddled herself into her bed, holding her stuffed bunny close.

Charles cleared his throat and began reading “Once upon a time, there lived girl, in a little nice village. Her mother, a nice and lovely woman, made her a hooded cape, which was pure red. And because it suited her so well and she refused to wear anything else, everyone in the village simply called her Little Red Riding Hood.”

Daisy smiled “Like the title.”  
Charles looked at her and smiled brightly “Yes, that’s right.”  
Suddenly someone behind them cleared his throat “Charles…?” a small voice asked.  
Turning around Charles faced the little boy they found two weeks ago, Ben and his little sister, Annie, who was currently holding his hand, hiding behind her brother.  
“Yes, dear?” he smiled.  
“We heard you were telling a story… Can we listen to it, too?”  
“Of course. Are you two unable to sleep, as well?”  
They nodded and Annie murmured “I’m homesick.”

Charles smiled at her and patted the bed next to him “Come on, sit down you two. You can listen, too, but after that you all need to sleep, alright?”  
“Okay, Charles.” Ben smiled brightly at him.  
Both, Ben and Annie got into bed and looked at Charles, nudging him to continue.

Charles smiled and continued “Well one faithful day, Little Red Riding Hood’s mother told her to go to her grandma to bring her a basket, since her grandmother was very sick. The grandmother, however, lived in the deep dark and-“ he he lowered his voice to sound mysterious “scary forest, where danger lurked at every corner.”

Daisy hugged her stuffed animal tight to her chest and listened intrigued, Ben held onto the blankets and looked at Charles interested and Annie looked at him scared, slowly crawling onto his lap, seeking comfort.  
Charles snaked his arms around her and held her in place, so she wouldn’t fall off of his lap, as he continued.

He attempted to imitate the voices, which he thought didn’t work out that well, but the children seemed to be fascinated by it.

“The mother warned her-“ he let his voice go a little higher, as to imitate a woman’s voice “-‘Go nicely and quietly and don’t stray from the path, so you won’t trip and fall. And watch out that you get there safely.’ Little Red Riding Hood said ‘I will take good care, mother.’ And set off to visit her poor sick grandmother and bring her the bottle of wine and the cake, her mother had baked.”

Charles looked around, seeing that Daisy was slowly falling asleep and smiled, continuing “Little Red Riding Hood ventured off, until she met a wolf.” The brunet began to draw out the words again to make them more dramatic “A big, bad wolf, one of the most wicked there was.”

He felt Annie clinging to him and started to pat her back “But Red Riding Hood smiled at him and greeted him, wishing him a good morning. The wolf greeted her back and asked her-“ He lowered his voice, mimicking a deep male voice “’What is a little girl like you doing out in the forest on your own?’ Little Red Riding Hood told him about her Grandma and the wolf wanted to know, where her grandmother lived.”

He looked down to see Annie cuddling closer to him, yawning. Ben was watching him intently, waiting for him to continue, hugging a pillow. Daisy was trying to stay awake, cuddling her plush animal.

\---

Meanwhile Erik went through the mansion, searching for Charles.  
“Charles? Charles, Liebling? Where are you?” He called out.  
Suddenly a door to his right opened, it was Ravens bedroom. She had Hank accompanying her. It looked like they had been watching a movie.

“What are you doing, Erik?” Hank asked and Raven looked at Erik, too.  
Erik looked at them “Have you two seen Charles?”  
“I think he went into Daisy’s room. I think she couldn’t sleep and wanted him to read her a story.”  
“Ah, I see.” Erik nodded “Well, thanks.”  
Raven smiled “I bet it is really cute. Shall we look at it, too, Hank?”  
“No, let’s just sleep, alright?” He smiled.  
Raven nodded “Okay, Good night Erik.”  
“Good night.” Hank said.  
Erik nodded “Good night.” And then went on to find Charles. 

Thus Erik ventured on, listening to his bare feet meeting the floor over and over again, until he finally reached the hallway, where the new children were sleeping.  
He quietly went to Daisy’s room and peered through the slightly opened door.  
What he saw made a smile grace his features and his head leaning to the side in affection.

Charles was sitting on the bed, talking about how the hunter saved Red Riding Hood and her grandmother.  
Daisy was sleeping, cuddling to her stuffed animal, smiling slightly. Having moved from her previous position, she was now resting her head on Charles’ thigh, while the brunet had a hand placed on her shoulder to prevent her from rolling over and falling out of bed, since she was sleeping at the edge of it.  
Annie was asleep in Charles’ lap, clinging to him lightly, her cheek resting against his chest. The brunet man was holding her to his chest to secure her, while gently rocking forth and back.  
Ben was also asleep, leaning against Charles’ shoulder, holding onto the biceps of the arm that was holding Annie.  
Charles was smiling fondly and quietly continuing the story, not sure if everyone was asleep, yet.

The story was coming to an end and Charles was speaking in a hushed voice “And thus Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother-“  
Erik quietly came in and made his way over to Charles, finishing the story for him “lived happily ever after.”

Charles tried his best not to wince too much, as his head jerked up to look at Erik.  
He chuckled quietly “Erik, don’t scare me like that.”  
“I’m sorry. You were taking so long, checking on the kids, so I figured I’d check on you.” He gave a small grin and looked down to the children “This all looks really cute, but I think we need to get the children to bed, now.”  
“You’re right.” Charles smiled.

Erik carefully pried Ben’s hand from Charles arm and picked him up, to which the boy only mumbled something in his sleep, that Erik could not understand.  
Charles held Annie to his chest while slowly placing Daisy’s head back on her pillow and pulling the covers over her shoulder.

He then quietly followed Erik walking out and quietly shut the door behind them, after turning off the light.

After they’d put Annie and Ben to bed, Erik and Charles walked through the hallways back to their bedroom.  
Erik pulled Charles to him, as they walked “You’re really good with children.”  
Charles smiled “Thanks. I always feel so sad, when parents don’t want their children, because they are mutants or willingly give them away to the first guy to offer a school for mutant children.”  
“Hey, don’t be sad.” Erik smiled “What else would this children need, but you being there for them? You’re such a great man and you will be like a father to them. A good father, a father that cares for them, helps them, protects them, celebrates every little success of them and that would never abandon them. You give them a home and hope.”  
“Thanks, Erik.” Charles smiled “You sure know how to cheer me up.” He laughed.  
“I know.” Erik chuckled “And I will always do so.” He opened the door for Charles “And now hurry up and get to bed with me.”

Charles raised an eyebrow “Don’t you think it is a little to late to-“  
“That’s not what I meant, Charles.” Erik laughed “I am not thinking of anything dirty, right now.”  
“Want me to check your mind and find out myself?” Charles teased.  
“No, I admit it myself. Maybe I thought of it for a little second, after you mentioned, that my words sounded, like I was trying to seduce you, but now I just want to cuddle and sleep.” He admitted.  
“Oh, I want to do that, too.” Charles smiled and closed the door, pulling Erik to bed with him “Come on, under the blankets, Erik.” He smiled.  
Erik pulled the blankets over them “The bed is awfully big without you.”  
Charles smiled and cuddled to Erik’s chest “That’s why I love sharing it with you.”  
Erik chuckled “I love you, sleep well.”  
“I love you, too, Erik. Sleep well, too.” He smiled.  
And soon both of them were fast asleep, cozily cuddled up, as the wind continued to blow around the house. But they couldn’t care less, because they only thing they heard was each others breathing, as they slept.


End file.
